Old hen high-stepping and stumbling

[Eggcessive]

The Dumor is fine. I have used it, but sometimes it can be powdery, it just depends on what your particular bag is like. Many things Ihave read say to only use aspirin for 2-3 days due to a risk of causing intestinal bleeding, but I think some use it longer. Vets have other medicines to use if that is possible. Her ankles look a little thickened which might be arthritis, even possibly mycoplasma synovitis. Are her hock joints swollen? I would let her out with her flock each day for a supervised period, so that she doesn’t get bullied after being gone too long.

 

[StinkyAcres]

The Dumor is fine. I have used it, but sometimes it can be powdery, it just depends on what your particular bag is like. Many things Ihave read say to only use aspirin for 2-3 days due to a risk of causing intestinal bleeding, but I think some use it longer. Vets have other medicines to use if that is possible. Her ankles look a little thickened which might be arthritis, even possibly mycoplasma synovitis. Are her hock joints swollen? I would let her out with her flock each day for a supervised period, so that she doesn’t get bullied after being gone too long.

Thank you! I will try to get her outside with the others when I can. Friday will be in the 40s. And I'll try examine her hocks again. Never heard of mycoplasma synovitis - wouldn't I be seeing the same signs in my other chickens?

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard to know if the ankle swelling is MS. But here is a good link about it, and a good picture:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry

 

[StinkyAcres]

So I have Meloxicam for my elderly sheep. Could I give Toasty some of that?

 

[StinkyAcres]

It is hard to know if the ankle swelling is MS. But here is a good link about it, and a good picture:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry

Her legs certainly don't look like that yet. I felt and moved her hocks earlier and she wasn't bothered but then I touched her foot and it seemed tender.

 

[Eggcessive]

Gout could still be the problem, but maybe newer pictures might help. The toes in gout are swollen and lumpy, while in MS or arthritis, the ankles and hocks are swollen, while the toes look normal. But she could just have osteoarthritis from her age. I think there are 2 strengths of meloxicam. What does your bottle say? Here is some dosage info post 2:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/meloxicam-dosage-after-bumblefoot-surgery.1419917/

 

[StinkyAcres]

Gout could still be the problem, but maybe newer pictures might help. The toes in gout are swollen and lumpy, while in MS or arthritis, the ankles and hocks are swollen, while the toes look normal. But she could just have osteoarthritis from her age. I think there are 2 strengths of meloxicam. What does your bottle say? Here is some dosage info post 2:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/meloxicam-dosage-after-bumblefoot-surgery.1419917/

I have 15mg meloxicam tablets. Too big?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Gout could still be the problem, but maybe newer pictures might help. The toes in gout are swollen and lumpy, while in MS or arthritis, the ankles and hocks are swollen, while the toes look normal.

I would say her middle toe on her right foot is swollen and lumpy. She stands on the back of her feet and not on her front toes. I haven't seen her stand or walk on her hocks. But I can get more photos if you need them.

 

[Eggcessive]

The dosage is 0.5 mg per kilogram (each 2.2 pounds.) you will need to weigh her or know her weight. The tablet is too much, but depending on weight, you might be able to cut it into 4ths and calculate a dose. I am offline until morning.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I just now realized that Toasty has been showing signs of discomfort for quite some time. She decided one day, maybe a month or so ago, that she wanted to sleep in the top nesting boxes. I would take her out and put her on the roost almost every night. Eventually she was trying to sleep in the bottom nest boxes and I became slightly more concerned, but I do the night shift so that is all I noticed. She had been jumping the fence to forage in the duck pen, so it's possible she hurt herself then. Anyway, I just wanted to mention that in case it gives more clues.